Primary battery.



'Be it. known that I, VVILHELM ALEXAN mm Fiuaxlmnccn, a subject of the King of Qli Ysubsequently' added to the solution.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM ALEXANDER FELIX BLEEGK, or BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA.

PRIMARY BATTERY.

Great Britain, residingat Brisbane, in the State of Queensland, ,lommonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Primary Batteries; and I do hereby declare. the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7 My invention relates to two-fluid batteries in which the positive element consists of' zinc immersed ina. solution of caustic soda, and the negative elementof carbon 'i1ninersed in aldepolarizing solution which is separated from the caustic soda. by a. porous partition. According to .the present in- .Vention such batteries are provided with a depolarizer, which consists of a. mixture or combination of chromic acid, water and.

'hydrochloric acid together with a mixture of ferrous and nickel sulfates. Some lati- (Slide is allowable in the proportions of the constituents of the improved depolarizer,

but they. should approximate to those given in the following prescription :Five ounces by measure ofcommercial hydrochloric acid are 'mi.xed. with 15 ounces'by measure of water;'in this mixture is dissolved oneounce by weight of metal sulfate, by which is-meant a mixture of ferrous and nickel sulfates in any proportions, and eightounces by weight of commercial. chromic acid are v p Practical tests have shown that with the use ofa mixture of. ferrous and nickel. sulfates a better ampere hour output is obtained, pro- -vided the above-stated proportions are not exceeded.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat-en'ted Apr. 2, 1912.

Application filed June 25, 1909. Serial No. 504,372.

In carefully conducted tests when a mixture of tlretwo sulfates wasemployed an initial electroniotive force of 2.625 volts per cell 7 was obtained. If either sulfate was used separately, .an". initial electromotive force of 2.6 volts per cell was obtained.

In order to minimize the rate of dilfusion of the liquids through the porous partition separating them, which results in a fall in the level of the excitantand consequent reduction: of the active area of the positive element and increase of internal resistance, and a. corresponding rise of level of the dcpolarizer and consequent weakening of its depolarizing power through admixture with the excitant, a small quantity of gum arabic solution is preferably'added to the exeitaiit, particularlyinthe case of batteries which are not discharged at a high rate. With this object the excitan-t is best made up as follows: To ten ounces by measure of water is added onelounce of liquid gum :arabic of a density which should not sensibly exceed 1.125; to this are added 5 ounces by weight of commercial caustic soda, and the solution then allowed to cool before using.

.I claim In a two fluid battery comprising zinc in an excitant solution of caustic sodav and a. suitable con'iplementary electrode separated therefrom by a porous pot, a depolarizer comprising chromic acid, water and hydro-- chloric acid with a inixtureof ferrous and nickel sulfates. I

In testimony whereof, I aflix my sigma-- ture, in presence of two" witnesses.

WILHEhM ALEXANDER FELIX BIIEECK.

Witnesses ALEXAND R ANDERSON,

ARTHUR Blsnor. 

